*Conor Hehir attempts to block Filip Mostowy’s cross. Photograph: Joe Buckley
AVENUE UTD have blown the CDSL Premier Division wide open after moving to joint second with wins over Bridge Utd and Lifford FC.
Pressure to stay in the top flight is mounting on Lifford FC who dropped points at home to Shannon Town on Sunday morning before letting a one goal advantage slip against Avenue on Wednesday evening.
In what was arguably the game of the season, Avenue Utd and Bridge Utd squared off in Sixmilebridge on Saturday evening with the reigning league champions taking the win which they followed up by overcoming Lifford on Wednesday.
Here’s how things look in the Premier Division:
1: Newmarket Celtic – games played (13), points (32), scoring difference (+31)
2: Bridge Utd – games played (12), points (30), scoring difference (+45)
3: Avenue Utd – games played (12), points (30), scoring difference (+41)
4: Tulla Utd – games played (12), points (28), scoring difference (+23)
5: Inch Crusaders – games played (12), points (20), scoring difference (-1)
6: Shannon Town Utd – games played (15), points (18), scoring difference (0)
7: Kilrush Rangers – games played (14), points (10), scoring difference (-27)
8: Shannon Olympic – games played (12), points (10), scoring difference (-38)
9: Lifford FC – games played (13), points (9), scoring difference (-10)
10: Kilkishen Celtic – games played (15), points (1), scoring difference (-64)
Avenue hold the edge over Bridge
Avenue Utd 3
Bridge Utd 1
Venue: Shannon Rd, Sixmilebridge
Two penalties from Steven McGann along with a goal from the returning Elias Kunz propelled Avenue to victory over a nervy Bridge Utd on Saturday.
In what was one of the strongest sides fielded by Avenue, Kunz’ addition to their attack certainly boosts their chances of retaining the Premier Division title, a feat that looked unlikely over a month ago. Eoghan Thynne’s decision to rejoin the squad is another lift for David Russell’s side.
Having been in the driving seat for honours, Bridge Utd suffered what could be a costly loss, the magnitude of which was made greater given that they lost on their home patch and will find it more difficult to take points off Avenue in Roslevan when the sides renew rivalries in the coming weeks.
Scott Kirkland’s move to defence took a strong outlet from the middle of midfield for the hosts who produced a strong finish to the opening half and a dominant start to the second half but overall they will be annoyed with the outcome and their display.
Nerves were apparent early on when goalkeeper John Mulready made a rash tackle on Jack Ryan which saw a penalty awarded to Avenue that Steven McGann calmly slotted to the net, with three minutes played.
Ger Myles landed one of the goals of the season with a stunning strike. Kirkland made a vital clearance while Jack O’Halloran made the pass from the left wing but it was Myles who fired a bullet to the top left corner of the net to have the sides on level terms with thirty one minutes on the clock.
Jack Ryan came close to restoring the lead for Avenue but he was denied by Mulready and Myles had a chance to double his tally before the break but he booted the ball over the crossbar.
An offside call stopped Myles from doubling his tally with the game seventy minutes old.
Kunz’ presence in the Avenue attack was felt when he put them in front for the second time, goaling on eighty two minutes. They added their third goal in additional time, Thynne was fouled with McGann again on target from the penalty spot, his pistol celebration aptly showcasing that Avenue on this occasion had gunned down their rivals.
All photographs by Joe Buckley
If their rematch in Roslevan is on a similar par as this then it certainly is a game worth attending. Bridge will have to bring a much improved display as put simply their chances of lifting the Premier Division depend on it but a swell in momentum is swirling behind Avenue.
Eight yellow cards were dished out during what was a tense and tough affair, a showing particularly in the opening half the level and standard of games that need to be more frequent in the Premier Division.
Jack O’Halloran excelled on the left wing for Bridge while Jack Dunleavy acquitted himself well on his first outing at right full for Avenue. Steven McGann once again conducted the Avenue choir with ease while Nnabuike Nneji, Jack Ryan and Ronan Kerin were prominent.
On the Bridge side, Lee Mulready and Scott Kirkland did well in the heart of defence, Brian Monaghan moved the ball and Ger Myles gave a glimpse of what he can do up front.
Avenue; Jakub Ruminowicz, Jack Dunleavy, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey, Conor Hehir; Nnabuike Nneji, Mark Roche, Steven McGann, Jack Ryan; Ronan Kerin, Elias Kunz.
Subs: Jamie Roche for M Roche (63), Eoghan Thynne for Kerin (75), Seán O’Callaghan for Ryan (90), Owen Hadden for Nneji (93).
Bridge: John Mulready, Luc Fitzpatrick, Scott Kirkland, Liam Buckley, Lee Mulready; Eric Carr, Mikey Guerin, Brian Monaghan, Jack O’Halloran, Filip Mostowy, Ger Myles.
Subs: Aidan Moloney for Mostowy (60), Brian Corry for Monaghan (73), Leon Kelly for Carr (80), Witness Odirile for Fitzpatrick (84), Alan Mulready for Guerin (89).
Referee: Pa Gleeson
Lifford lose points at home to Shannon Town
Lifford FC 3
Shannon Town Utd 3
Venue: Tom Steele Park, Drumcliffe
Pressure is mounting on Lifford to stay in the top flight and they didn’t help their cause on Sunday morning when losing the lead twice against Shannon Town to end up recording a draw.
A mid-table finish is as good as guaranteed for Shannon Town after they took a share of the spoils, they will equally feel they could have taken the three points in this outing.
Sean Aylmer put them in front inside the opening ten but Lifford got back on level terms when a corner from Chuks Obadeyi was headed to the back of the net by John Forson.
Further impetus fell the way of Lifford who were aggrieved that Charlie Morrison only picked up a yellow card for a late tackle, they turned their focus to the football and stuck their heads in front for the first time when Samuel Obadeyi hit the target, Cian Guilfoyle playing the ball to him.
Morrison was fouled on the half hour mark and he made no mistake with the penalty to slot the ball beyond Aidan Jordan.
A scrappy finish saw Guilfoyle claim a goal of his own to put Lifford in the lead just before the half-time whistle.
Close chances fell at either end with Kai Khetan and John Forson almost goaling for their teams.
Instead of pushing on, Lifford became somewhat sleepy and they paid the price. They were caught napping when a long throw fell towards midfielder Eoghan Gough who struck the ball beyond Jordan on sixty eight minutes.
There were chances for each team to claim the full three points, Ethan Cronin made an excellent block on Morrison who then had another shot in additional time while at the other end, the crossbar denied Emmanual Obadeyi from claiming a winning goal.
Lifford FC: Aidan Jordan, Eoin Fox, Ethan Cronin, Fiachra Roche, Emmanuel Obadeyi; Chuks Obadeyi, John Forson, Lucas Silva, Joseph Chukwuemka, Samuel Obadeyi, Cian Guilfoyle.
Subs: David Keenan for S Obadeyi (62)
Shannon Town Utd: Liam Cook; Cody Waller, Derek Byrne, Steven Carroll, Aaron Kelly; Liam Keating, Eoghan Gough, Charlie Morrison, Ben O’Neill, Sean Aylmer, Kai Khetan.
Subs: Cian Johnson for Keating (72), Jamie Doyle for Aylmer (84).
Referee: Darius Mostowy
Avenue recover from shaky start to overcome Lifford
Avenue Utd 3
Lifford FC 2
Venue: Tom Steele Park, Drumcliffe.
After producing a fine display on Saturday evening, Avenue had a showdown with Ennis rivals Lifford FC on Wednesday in what always had the potential to be a banana skin.
They slipped in the opening half where they fell behind and failed to score themselves but got back on solid footing with a dominant second half display to leave Drumcliffe with three points in the bag and move to second place in the Premier Division.
Both sides are fighting for different prizes at this stage of the season, Lifford to stay in the Premier Division and Avenue to try regain their league title.
Demonstrating how Lifford have gone from being Clare Cup finalists in 2023 to at risk of relegation to the First Division is the fact that only two of their starting eleven for that 2-0 Cup final loss to Avenue featured in their latest clash, namely the Corofin duo of Fiachra Roche and Josh Ryan.
There has been little consistency with regards to the starting eleven fielded by Lifford this season so it comes as no surprise that they have struggled to develop a run of form and cohesion playing together. The loss of Adrian Walsh from their coaching ticket has been a blow, he was in the opposite camp as part of the Avenue management.
Despite all this it was Lifford who took the lead with a wonderful strike from Lucas Silva on eight minutes. Avenue’s cause was not aided when experienced defender Conor Mullen was forced off with an ankle injury but they were fortunate to be able to call upon Seán O’Callaghan, a player with experience of lining out in the Connacht Junior Cup who has found game-time hard to come by for Avenue since their exits from external competitions.
Fitness was going to be a factor as the tie wore on, in this sector Avenue were far superior and they were on level terms within five minutes of the second half. Mark Roche was fouled in the box and Steven McGann converted his third penalty in the space of four days, all spot kicks ironically were awarded by Pa Gleeson.
Lifford had a glorious chance to go back in front when Gleeson awarded a penalty at the other end when Silva was found. Ethan Cronin’s shot was predictable but it still required Luke Woodrow to make a save which he duly did.
Not alone did Avenue go from stopping a penalty but they worked the ball up field and into the back of the Lifford net. Eoghan Thynne and Fiachra Roche collided with a fifty fifty ball which broke in the direction of the Avenue attack and captain Ronan Kerin was on hand to provide a finish to the net.
There were calls for a third penalty in the game when Dylan Casey went down on the ball, Lifford players protested that he handled the ball when hitting the ground.
Woodrow made a fine save from the penalty but had an almighty blunder when rolling the ball out in front of Joseph Chukwuemka who dispossessed him and left the goalkeeper on the floor as he tapped the ball into the back of the net. The reprieve came too late, arriving on ninety four minutes, while it lifted the hosts, it came far too light to reignite their challenge.
Avenue Utd: Luke Woodrow; Jack Dunleavy, Conor Mullen, Dylan Casey, Conor Hehir; Eoghan Thynne, Mark Roche, Steven McGann, Jack Ryan, Ronan Kerin, Elias Kunz.
Subs: Sean O’Callaghan for Mullen (10) (inj), Jamie Roche for Hehir (62), Cullen McCabe for Dunleavy (76), Owen Hadden for Ryan (80)
Lifford FC: Aidan Jordan, Eoin Fox, Ethan Cronin, Chiby Okoye, Josh Ryan; Fiachra Roche, Emanuel Obadeyi, Lucas Silva, Samuel Obadeyi, Cian Guilfoyle, Joseph Chukwuemka.
Subs: David Keenan for Guilfoyle (64), Jorge Becker for S Obadeyi (64), T Ifebajo for Okoye (94)
Referee: Pa Gleeson
Inch take down Kilkishen
Inch Crusaders 6
Kilkishen Celtic 1
Venue: Kilkishen
Kilkishen’s season to forget continues as they fell to another home loss, this time to Inch Crusaders on Sunday morning.
Bradley Higgins bagged a hat-trick, Conor Finnucane scored twice with Kenneth Higgins also raiding for goal as Inch moved to fifth place in the Premier Division.
Enda Murphy pulled a goal back for Kilkishen on seventy minutes, at a stage when they were six goals behind.
